The invention relates to a deflecting device for an offset frontal collision for motor vehicles, the front end of which vehicles has a left and a right longitudinal member, the deflecting device being arranged in front of a front wheel and protecting the front wheel in the event of a collision. An offset frontal collision is to be understood to mean a frontal collision in which the colliding vehicles move toward each other with directional vectors which are substantially parallel but are offset laterally in relation to one another. The collision zone is therefore only a lateral part of the front end of the vehicle.
In vehicles, this lateral part of the front end of the vehicle in front of the passenger compartment is usually less rigid than the central part in front of the passenger compartment and also absorbs less collision energy, resulting in considerable deformations of the passenger compartment. In particular, there is the risk of the respective wheel penetrating the passenger compartment. Furthermore, in the case of collisions of this type, a particularly hazardous phenomenon generally also occurs: even in the event of a relatively small offset, the collision-side front wheels of the two vehicles become interlocked; one wheel at least of the one vehicle collides with the wheel suspension of the other. As a result, the wheels are not only subject to particularly severe longitudinal forces which push them into the passenger compartment, but the two vehicles are connected at least partially to each other in an interlocking manner and are thus prevented from passing each other by. In addition, the two interlocked vehicles are also jointly caused to twist about the vertical axis.
This phenomenon is known in the literature under the term “interlocking”. DE 195 32 858 A1 discloses, as a countermeasure, designing the front fender to be greatly rounded in the side region in plan view, and to be sufficiently rigid that it prevents the collision-side front wheels from coming into contact and causes the two vehicles to pass each other by. It is conceivable that the fender may never be strong enough for this purpose at the collision speeds customary nowadays. In addition, the fender also has to satisfy other safety requirements which run counter to this: a collision surface which is as wide as possible for an entirely overlapping offset frontal collision and apportioned yielding in the event of a collision with a pedestrian.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,436 furthermore discloses providing, in front of and behind the front wheels, approximately vertical deflecting plates which are aligned and curved in the horizontal in such a manner that they positively pivot the wheel inward in the event of a collision. However, these deflecting plates are also constructed in a very heavy manner if they are actually to have this effect, and they likewise require a particularly heavy bumper involving the above-mentioned disadvantages. However, above all, the effect of the front deflecting plate is inadequate for kinematic reasons: if it is arranged at a sufficient distance in front of the wheel and does not extend over the outer vertical boundary surface of the wheel, its outer end pivots inward on a circular arc. It then touches the wheel within its outer vertical boundary surface and can no longer grasp it and pivot it inward. On the contrary, it destroys the wheel and the deflecting action does not occur.
JP 2004-306871 A discloses a protective device for absorbing the collision energy in an offset frontal collision, which protective device is composed of side parts which are guided at both sides in the fender. The side parts are circular-arc-shaped and, in the event of an impending collision, are pulled out of the fender by an electric motor which is arranged in the center point of the curvature of the side parts. In the position which is reached in this way, said side parts project outward beyond the associated front wheel, but without acting on the latter.
Furthermore, it is proposed in the older patent application US 2005/0110284 A1, which was published after the priority date of the present patent application (on May 26, 2005), to provide the fender of a motor vehicle with outwardly moveable elements for the purpose of absorbing the collision energy. Said publication gives no details regarding the type of collision and an interaction with the wheels.